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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The American Hockey League on Tuesday announced that Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Derek Meech has been selected to play for the Canadian AHL All-Star Team at the 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic, which will be held Jan. 28-29 at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto.

Meech, in his third season with the Griffins and first as their alternate captain, was chosen to participate in his first AHL All-Star Classic by a committee of the league’s coaches. He will compete against Griffins teammate Kip Miller, who was previously tabbed by the league as the playing captain for the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team.

A 22-year-old native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Meech shows 10 points (1-9—10) and 20 penalty minutes in 36 games for Grand Rapids this season. Durability has been his hallmark, as he’s missed just six Griffins games – one to suspension, two to injury, and three while on recall to the Detroit Red Wings – during his career, totaling 44 points (11-33—44) and 145 PIM in 193 contests.

Meech, the Wings’ seventh choice (229th overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, made his NHL debut with Detroit on Dec. 7, 2006 in a 4-3 win over St. Louis. In four games with the parent club, he averaged nine shifts and 5:47 in ice time while totaling a plus-one rating, four PIM, three shots, seven hits and one blocked shot.

Joining Meech on the Canadian AHL All-Stars are a pair of former Griffins, defenseman Sheldon Brookbank of the Milwaukee Admirals and starting forward Alexandre Giroux of the Hershey Bears.

Comcast Local will televise the AHL All-Star Classic live throughout Michigan, beginning with the AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. and concluding with the AHL All-Star Game on Monday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m.